Maroochy River BungalowsStephen Booth | First Published: August 2006

For anglers there are few things better than waking up only metres from the water’s edge and this is exactly what Maroochy River Bungalows offers.

Ideally positioned on an offshoot canal of Eudlo Creek, which runs into the Maroochy River about 5km upstream from the town centre, Maroochy River Bungalows offers visitors a tropical styled getaway on the popular Sunshine Coast strip.

Getting There

It’s an easy hour and a quarter drive from Brisbane to get to the Bungalows. If you want to get there in the shortest time possible, follow the Bruce Highway until you reach the Nambour-Bli Bli turn-off. Follow the road through to the roundabout on David Low Way and turn right. Follow David Low Way until you see the BWS/Waterfront Hotel on the right and turn in. Follow the road through a roundabout and you’ll end up at the Maroochy River Bungalows.

For those with a UBD the reference is Page 68, J5.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

It’s easy to feel comfortable at your accommodation when you are greeted with a friendly smile. It makes the transition from fighting with the weekend traffic melt away and the tension ease between the shoulders. Checking in is a simple process and then you’re off to your cabin.

Whichever cabin you end up in, be that waterfront, waterview or gardenview, you will be pleasantly surprised by the neat gardens that remind you of a tropical island. Yeah I know we need to concentrate on the fishing side of things, but the gardens are pretty special.

The cabins are not expansive, over-indulged tourist traps, they are neat, tidy and self-contained. There is a choice between 1 and 2 bedroom bungalows, which means you can take the family or have a quiet weekend away in Maroochydore without the kids.

Each bungalow has a kitchen, dining and living area, bathroom and a double bedroom. Additional beds (which may be in the second bedroom or the living area depending on the bungalow) can comprise bunks or single divans to suit your requirements.

The bungalows also include sink, stove, microwave oven, fridge, TV, DVD player, all utensils and cutlery and ceiling fans for the warmer weather. The bungalows are designed to be air cooled and the louvered windows allow a refreshing and cooling breeze to flow through the bungalows in the warmer months. In the cooler months you can close down the windows and warm the bungalow that way or use the small fan heater provided. You won’t need the heater for long though!

WHAT YOU NEED

The bungalows are self-contained so you will need to bring your own food and drinks as well as your own bed linen and toiletries. This makes the rooms just that little bit more comfortable in my opinion because you can snuggle down in your own doona and not have to put up with the annoyingly thin and uncomfortable top sheets you normally get in cabins.

The great part of the Maroochy River Bungalows is that you can bring your boat along and park it right at your front door. Their boat ramp can accommodate boats up to 6m or a little bigger, and it is ideal for boats under 5m. It is recommended that you bring two sand anchors to secure the boat for and aft so the craft doesn’t swing in the wind at night.

Your trailer can be removed from the car and padlocked to a fence for security. This leaves you free to drive into town to resupply or catch a movie or just go for a cruise down to Mooloolaba or up to Noosa. It’s a fantastic set up for those wishing to have a hassle free boating experience on the Maroochy River.

FISHING

There would be no point going to the cabins if you were an angler and you didn’t want to fish. Having said that though, they are a great place to get away from life for a few days too, but I am way too keen on fishing to miss the chance to fish.

You can literally cast from your front deck if you have a waterfront cabin. Whiting, bream and flathead are all targets here and can be caught on bait quite readily. If you can get hold of some fresh worms or yabbies, you’ll be surprised how many fish are swimming around 10m from your front door.

If you’ve bought the boat up with you, then the world is your oyster. The Maroochy River and Eudlo Creek are great fishing holes. All the usual estuary species can be found with bream, tailor and flathead making up the majority of the winter catch, while jacks, trevally and whiting are summer specials. Famous fishing spots like the Cod Hole near the main road bridge and the sand flats at the mouth are usually littered with weekend anglers trying their luck.

If you don’t have a boat right along the main road anglers fish for flatties and bream or you can hire a boat from Swan Boat Hire (07) 5443 7225. They have all the latest info on where the fish are biting and it’s probably worth dropping in for a chat regardless of if you hire a boat or not.

OTHER INFORMATION

The grounds also have BBQ areas, tennis courts (with racquets and balls thrown in), swimming pool and sun lounges, hand lines and bait as well as crab pots. You can literally arrive at the Maroochy River Bungalows and hire or buy everything you need to get a feed of fish and crabs. What could be simpler?

If you are staying for an extended period there are laundry facilities and plenty of local places to dine out, the closest being the Waterfront Hotel just a short kilometre from your front door.

Great Break

If you want a simple, no hassle break that includes a bit of fishing, check out Maroochy River Bungalows. The staff are fantastic, the grounds are clean and well maintained, the boat ramp is a real bonus and the fishing can be fantastic. Take the family or take a mate, you’ll be sure to have a great time.

Facts

Costs and Contacts

Phone: (07) 5448 4911

Web: www.maroochyriverbungalows.com

Bungalow

Start Price*

Waterfront

$90 per night

Waterview

$70 per night

Gardenview

$60 per night

* Tarrifs for mid-week stay, weekends and school holidays extra.

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You can literally fish from your front porch if the mood strikes you.

The ramp can accommodate quite large boats – a bonus for serious anglers.

Most family groups take the time to have a fish from the beach at the front of the bungalows. It’s a safe environment for the kids to learn the basics.

Fishing at dawn will see you connecting with flathead, bream and whiting in the lagoon.